It’s been too long since our last contest — 5-sentence story or otherwise — so let’s do another one. The winner gets a signed copy of his or her choice of my three new Pocket Guides (Sainthood, Afterlife, or the Bible).

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Here’s the photographic inspiration for your story:

Your job for this contest? Compose a five-sentence story (or story snippet) inspired by the scene above. As in the past, it has to adhere to five particular rules:

Rule #1: Your story must contain five sentences. No more, no less.

Rule #2: It doesn’t have to have anything to do with the actual real-life subject of the photo.

Rule #3: It has to be suspenseful in tone. Not necessarily scary or horrific or gory, but definitely suspenseful.

Rule #4: It has to contain the phrase “like a torpedo with gills.”

Rule #5: Your story must reference “Cleolinda’s father.” I’m not telling why.

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Submit your 5-sentence story in the comments. The deadline for submissions is midnight (Central) tomorrow, Oct. 15.

Ready? Go!